Machine for cleaning seeds



Jan; 19, 1937.

A R. R. FREUND MACHINE FOR CLEANING -SEEDS Filed Jan, 28, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan; 19, 1937. R, R FREUND 2,068,101

MACHIN FOR CLEANING SEEDS I Filed Jan. 2a, 1935 s lsheets-sheet 2 1N VENTOR.

H05/597A. PREM/0.

ATTORNEY.

Jan. 19, 1937.

R. R. FREUND MACHINE FOR CLEANING. SEEDS 4 Filed Jan. 28, 1955 3 Shelets-Sheet 3 i fAIFORNEY.

Patented Jan. i9, i937 MACHINE FOR CLEANING SEEDS Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in that class of machines used for cleaning seeds and more particularly leguminous seeds, such as beans and peas, by separating them from par- 5 ticles of dirt, stones and other foreign matter.

It is an object of this invention to produce a machine of simple and substantial construction that will have a large capacity and which will effectively remove all irregularly shaped particles of foreign matter as well as broken seeds.

Another object of this invention is to produce a machine of the type specified in which the cleaning device and the feeding device shall be interconnected so that the feed will be accurately proportioned to the cleaning capacity or" the machine.

A still further object of this invention is to produce a machine of such construction that the capacity, at a given speed, can be changed so as to make the same machine suitable for different sized jobs.

Another and further object of this invention is to produce a machine having a horizontal movable table or belt instead of an inclined one.

The above and other objects that may become apparent as this description proceeds, are attained by means of a construction and an arrangement of parts that will now be described in detail and for this purpose, reference will now be had to the accompanying drawings in which the machine has been illustrated in its preferred form and in which- Figure 1 is a top plan View of the machine;

Figure 2 is aside elevation of the machine shown in Figure l;

Figure 3 is a cross section taken on line 3 3, Figure l, and shows the feed hopper and feed roll in section;

Figure 4 is a section taken on line fl-d, Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a section taken on line 5 5, Figure 1, and shows the discharge for the cleaned materials and for the matter separated;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary section, similar to that shown in Figure i, and illustrates the position of the parts when an irregularly shaped body passes one of the flexible wipers;

Figure 'Z is a fragmentary end elevation showing a slight modification;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary side elevation showing a slightly modified form of the wiper;

Figure 9 is a top plan view of a modified form of the machine;

Figure 10 is a side elevation of the machine shown in Figure 9, and

Figure llis a fragmentary section showing the feed device to a somewhat enlarged scale.

In the following description, similar reference characters will be used to designate similarvv connected by longitudinally extending bars 2 and 3. The tops of the posts are connected by transversely extending angles i that in turn are connected by two slotted guide bars 5. The bars 3 serve as supports for two pair of bearings 6 and l in which are journalled the shafts 8 and 9 respectively. The shafts are provided with rollers i@ that carry an endless belt il, preferably of rubber composition, whose upper surface is provided with parallel ribs l2. A metal plate i3 is suitably supported by the frame in such a way that the plane of its upper surface is tangent to the upper outer surfaces of the rollers. The upper surface of plate I3 serves as a support for the belt which is thereby prevented from sagging.

' A motor lli is supported on a base l5, carried on a suitable support i@ and is provided with a pulley ll with which a belt I3 is operatively connected. The belt l@ cooperates with the larger of a double reducing pulley i9, that is supported for rotation, on bar 3, by suitable means. Shaft 5 is provided with a pulley 2t that is connected with the smaller of the reducing pulleys i9 by a belt 2i. The motor rotates in such a direction that the top of the belt moves from left to right when viewed as in Figures l and 2.

Shaft 9 is provided at one end with a bevel pinion 22 that meshes with a similar pinion 23 carried on the shaft 2li, which shaft is mounted for rotation in bearings 25 and 26, and carries a pulley 2l from which a feed mechanism is driven by means of the belt 28.

The feed mechanism consists of an elongated hopper having an inclined side wall 29 and an opposed vertical side wall 3B. The hopper is supported by members 3l and 32 of which a.'- number are provided. The hopper has permanent ends 33, and a removable partition 33a. The two sides 29 and 3@ terminate short of the apex of the triangular ends 33, and the lower edge of side Z9 is provided with a flexible strip 34 that forms an extension of its width. A feed roller 35 is located between the lower edge of side 29 and the roller 35 and the latter is provided with longitudinally extending grooves 36. Roller 35 is carried on a shaft 31 that is mounted for rotation in bearings 33 and has one end provided with a pulley 39 with which the belt 28 cooperates. Attention is directed at this point to the fact that a positive feed mechanism is used and that it is driven from shaft 9 Wherefore the feed is varied directly as the speed of the belt and after the parts have been properly adjusted so as to obtain the proper proportion or relation between the feed and the speed of the belt, this will remain the same for all speeds.

Supported from the slotted bars 5 are a number of wipers, each consisting of an angle bar 40, of a cross section like that shown in Figures 4 and 6. Bars 4U are each provided with a horizontal flange 4I and a vertical flange 42 of which the flange 42 is the thicker, and is preferably grooved for the reception of a flexible resilient strip 43, which is preferably of rubber, but which may be of any other suitable material. Flanges 4I are each provided with twol threaded holes for the reception of the supporting boltsvr 44 which project through the slots in the supporting bars 5 and have large heads 45 that rest on the upper surface of these bars. The angle bars 40 are arranged diagonally of the belt in the manner shown in Figure 1, and are arranged in groups, each of which, preferably, contains four bars, but a greater or less number may be used as may be found desirable. The bars 40 are adjusted by means of the bolts 44, so that the lower edges of the wiper strips 43 come very near, but do not touch the tops of the ribs I2. After the bars 4D have been properly positioned as to height, the lock nuts 46 are tightened, so as to prevent accidental disturbance of this adjustment, and after the bars have been properly positioned along the supports 5, the nuts 41 are tightened to prevent accidental disturbance of this adjustment. The bars are inclined with respect to the travel of the belt in the manner shown in Figure 1.

At the right (Figures 1 and 2) of each group of wiper bars, a metal scraper bar 48 is provided. The scraper bars are preferably made of steel and are each provided with two bolts 49 whose upper ends are threaded and which project through the slots in the supports 5, and are each provided with a nut 50, and may also have lock nuts, which have not been shown. Springs 5I are carried by the bolts 4S and are located between the tops of the scraper bars and the bottoms of bars 5 as shown in Figures 4 and 5.

In Figure 7, a slightly modified form of scraper bar has been shown. Bar 48a, instead of being vertical, as bars 46, is inclined in the manner shown, and is provided with two supporting bolts 49a, which are clamped in adjusted positions by means of the nuts 52.

Located over the last wiper bar of each group and the corresponding scraper bar is a bent plate 53. These plates comprise two flat surfaces, and are bent as shown in Figure 4, so as to have what may be termed a gable'shape or form. Any seeds, such as peas; or beans, that are deposited by the feeder onto the plates 53 will be divided between the two corresponding groups of wipers in a manner quite apparent from an inspection of Figure 1.

An inclined metal plate or board 54 is arranged along the discharge edge of the belt II and has its upper edge 55 projecting underneath the plate I3 as shown in Figure 5. Plate 54 extends over a conveyor comprising a belt 56 that is driven from a pulley secured to one end of shaft 9. The conveyor belt passes over pulleys 58, 59 and 66, and moves in the direction of the arrow in Figure 2.

The cleaned seeds are carried on the belt 56 and are discharged at the right hand end of the conveyor (Figures 1 and 2). Troughs 51 are located under the discharge from each scraper 48, and extend over the conveyor 56 and discharge their contents into the box 6I.

In Figure 8, a slight modification has been shown. In this View the wipers 43a have been shown as provided with notches 62 which makes them yield more readily than when they are unnotched, as in the other views.

The operation of the machine described above and illustrated in Figures 1 to 8 is as follows:

With the parts properly adjusted, the seed, (usually peas or beans) which have rst been screened so as to remove all foreign matter that is below a certain size, are placed in the hopper. The motor is now started, and the belt Il begins to move. Seeds are discharged by the feed mechanism onto the belt and when the seeds come in contact with the wipers 43, they are made to roll along these and are finally discharged onto the plate 54 and delivered to the conveyor 56. At this. point, attention is called to the fact that the upper surface of plate I3 and the corresponding surface of the belt II are horizontal, as distinguished from some similar machines of the prior art, in which the belts are inclined either transversely or longitudinally, or both.

The feed is so adjusted that after the machine in the manner shown in Figure 6. When the foreign matter reaches the scraper bar or bars' 48, it will be dislodged from its position on the belt and moved towards the discharge side thereof, and will finally be discharged into a trough 51. If a rock is so attached to the belt that it will not be dislodged an'd moved sidewise by the scraper bar, the latter will raise and let it pass underneath, and it is for this` purpose that the scraper bars are so mounted that they can move up from normal position when occasion requires. If scraper bars like those shown in Figure 7 are employed, the inclination of thei scrapers is depended on to dislodge the Vrock or other foreign matter.

As many groups of wiper bars and Scrapers can be used as may be found desirable, and by removing-the partition 33a, another group can be added to the machine illustrated in Figures l and 2.

In Figures 9, 10 and 11, a modified form of the invention has been shown, in which a plate I3a, of circular shape, is mounted for rotation in its own plane, and about a vertical axis. The endless belt is replaced by a circular rubber sheet Ila which is provided on its upper surface with radial ribs I2a.

Supported above the rotating table are two concentric rings 5a to which the wiper bars 40a are secured. Scraper bars 48a are supported from the rings 5w, one scraper for each group 75 of wiper bars. The shaft 63,'to which the plate 43a is attached, is rotated from a suitable source of power by the belt t4. A hopper 65 is located above the rotating table and is provided with an opening 66 in its bottom for each group of wiper bars and Scrapers. Pipes S1 extend from the openings 65 to points near the inner ends of the first wiper bar of each group. The discharge ends of pipes E? are provided with tubular rubber extensions 68 that terminate close to the tops of the ribs I2a; the seeds will be fed from the tubes` 68 only when the table rotates. A circular hopper whose cylindrical wall has been designated by numeral 69, is so located that it will receive the seeds discharged from the table, and a trough 51a is located at the discharge end of each scraper 40d, to carry the foreign particles beyond wall 69, and into the trough lil. The seeds are removed from hopper 65 through openings 1l.

The operation of the modified machine is substantially the same as that already described in connection with the preferred form, and will therefore not be described in detail. In some cases it may be preferable to employ a round rotating table, in which case the construction shown in Figures 9 and l0 can be used.

It is evident that by inclining the wipers and the scraper in the opposite direction with respect to a concentric circle representing the locus of a point on the moving table so that the ribs will first intersect the line of the wipers near the outer circumference of the table and then depositing the seed near the outside of the circular table the latter will move inwardly towards the center.

Attention is called to the following features of the construction that are considered to be of particular importance and which are believed to be novel.

In the rst place, the belt il and the corresponding element Ha, in: the modified form, move in a horizontal plane as distinguished from an inclined one, as it has been found that by this construction, no movement of the seeds takes place, except that caused by the action of the wipers. The belt has its upper surface provided with parallel ribs of less height than the minimum dimensions of the seeds, and these facilitate the transverse movement of the seeds, and the retention of the foreign matter. The feed is controlled by the speed of the belt or the table so as to give the optimum rate of feed at all speeds. The wipers are arranged in groups and each set has a scraper, and in this way, a large capacity can be obtained in comparison with the size of the machine. The wipers are adjustable as to height, and the Scrapers are so mounted that tearing away of the ribs (I2, lZa) will be prevented.

Having described the claimed is:

1. A machine of the character described, comprising in combination with a travelling carrier belt, a group of spaced, substantially parallel wipers extending transversely thereof in a direction oblique to the direction of movement of the belt, a scraper bar associated with the group of wipers, a source of leguminous seeds, means for feeding the seeds from said source onto the carrier, along one edge thereof and means for shielding the space between the last wiper and the adjacent scraper bar from the feed.

2. A machine for cleaning leguminous seeds invention, what is comprising in combination a movable carriermember, a hopper located along one side of the member, an elongated fluted feed roller in the bottom of the hopper and means for turning the feed roller at a speed proportional to the speed of the carrier-member, so as to produce an elongated line of feed, a plurality of exible wipers located above the carrier-member, and forming a group, a scraper bar located at the rear of each group, said wipers and scraper bar extending across the line of feed and obliquely to the direction of movement of the carrier, and

ymeans for shielding the space between the last wiper and the scraper from the feed.

3. A bean-cleaning machine comprising in combination, a horizontal movable separating member whose upper surface is provided with spaced ribs that extend in a direction transverse of the direction of movement, a group of substantially parallel, spaced wipers located above the separating member and inclined with respect to the direction of movement thereof, a scraper bar positioned at the end of the group of wipers, the scraper bar being mounted for movement in a vertical direction, means for limiting its downward movement, and means operated by the movement of the separating member for feeding seeds onto the surface thereof along the part thereof where the transverse ribs first intersect the lines of the wipers.

4. A machine for separating leguminous seeds from foreign matter comprising, in combination, an endless traveling belt whose upper surface is horizontal, the upper surface of the belt having transversely extending spaced ribs whose height is less than the minimum dimension of the seeds, means operated by the movement of the belt for feeding seed onto the belt along one side thereof, a group of wipers positioned over the belt and inclined with respect thereto in such a way that a line perpendicular to the center line of the traveling belt will first intersect the lines of the wipers at the side of the feed whereby when the belt moves, the seeds will move toward the opposite side of the belt, and a scraper bar positioned at the end of the group of wipers, said bar being of metal and located so as to be substantially parallel to the wiper bars, the scraper bar being mounted for limited movement toward and away from the separating surface.

5. A machine for separating irregularly shaped particles of foreign matter from pulse seed, cornprising in combination, a supporting frame, an endless belt carried by the frame and so positioned that its upper surface is horizontal, the outer surface of the belt having spaced parallel ribs of less height than the minimum dimension of the seeds, a pair of supporting bars located above the belt, a plurality of wiper bars adjustably attached to the supporting bars, the wiper bars having strips of flexible material attaohed thereto, the lower edges of the strips terminating close to the tops of the ribs, a metal scraper bar located behind the wiper bar, means for connecting the scraper bar to the supporting bar for limited Vertical movement, the wiper and scraper bars being inclined with respect to the direction of travel of the belt, and means for feeding seed onto the belt in front of the wiper bar, and at the side of the belt where the transverse ribs rst intersect the line of the wiper bar.

ROBERT R. FREUND. 

